Figure I'll add my two cents to this discussion. 

 

If the situation is wading a river with one rod, it'll be a spinning rod 110% of the time. That being said, I think both absolutely have their place in smallmouth fishing applications. A large 1/2 oz buzzbait cannot be thrown or hookset effectively on a spinning rod, the same is true with half ounce football heads with larger gauge wire hooks. The way that I see it, it should be 50/50. Finesse baits will always be a producer in a river, plain and simple, and therefore a few spinning rods will always be with me. Casting gear, however, is much better for heavier baits and moving baits. If you aren't utilizing both for the techniques in the times where they are best suited then you're missing out on fish. 

I am a 84 old Geezer. So I lived with mosquitoes ALL summer in N J They LOVED everyone standing by water.

 

Untangling backlashes with no experienced help .  BUZZ   BUZZ 

 

  He can not hit us !!  If he tries. We will be able to bite him longer.

 

Long live the FRENCH  Mitchell 300 spinning reel.

On 1/4/2022 at 7:32 PM, MIbassyaker said:

Sometimes they want a presentation that I can make better with a baitcaster:

 

 

Other times, they want a presentation I can make better with spinning:

 

 

So for me it's not "vs"......it's "and".

 

But.... neither of those are smallies?

45 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

 

But.... neither of those are smallies?

These are, and the point is still valid.

Spinning rod smallie:

Flipping stick smallie:

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

These are, and the point is still valid.

Spinning rod smallie:

Flipping stick smallie:

Now we’re getting somewhere yeehaw 

4 hours ago, ajschn06 said:

 

But.... neither of those are smallies?

 

OK.

 

Whopper plopper smallie from a baitcaster:

 

....and, you'll have to take my word for it, but a Senko smallie from a spinning rod:

17 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

 

OK.

 

Whopper plopper smallie from a baitcaster:

 

....and, you'll have to take my word for it, but a Senko smallie from a spinning rod:

I trust you

Can I play ?

Casting gear brown bass

 

Spinning gear Brown  Bass

 

Both on the same trip even . . .

https://youtu.be/zIqCmH_52IQ?t=423

https://youtu.be/zIqCmH_52IQ?t=950

A-Jay

I fell better just seeing those bass !!    ?

 

Thank you all.     

On 3/16/2009 at 6:25 PM, U.W BronzeBack Hunter said:

When fishing for smallies, how often do you guys use spinning rigs compared to baitcast rigs?  When i go smallie fishin, i opt for lures at max 1/4 ounce, and i find it real hard to throw a 1/4 oz lure with a baitcast outfit.  It just bothers me how much more often i use my spinning rigs than my baitcast rig (which happens to be twice as expensive ).

alot of my fisheries simply do better on spinning, I use baitcasters in heavier cover, and I'll use them for bigger lures in stained water such as a bladed jig or spinnerbait, crank, etc etc, but I really result to spinning or bfs. I don't consider my bfs to really be in that baitcast category because I use spinning rod lures, I got my bfs reels specifically so I could have more accuracy with lighter lures and flip and pitch more effectivley. Really I bet I could only fish with a spinning reel/bfs reel even in the heavier cover easily, in fact I have before for fun, but the hookup rate and the durability of spinning/bfs in that situation goes downhill a lot even if you get more bites.

If you're just fishing 1/4oz stuff and spinning rig is working, there's no reason to be "bothered" the baitcaster is collecting dust.  If you want to use the caster, just make a point to try a presentation that suits it.  Smallies will absolutely nail a spinnerbait, buzzbait, plopper, jig, or heavier t-rig if you choose the right time and place.

A couple years ago it would have been about 95% spinning and 5% casting but last year I picked up a finesse baitcasting rod originally for pitching dropshots on breakwalls but then it became my main dropshot rod in any situation.  I then used that rod for 3.5"-4" finesse swimbaits and I liked it so much that I picked up another one of the rods.  And with my jerkbait success last fall and my hope to add that as a core presentation of mine in the future, I could see my casting/spinning smallmouth ratio to be much closer to 50/50 moving forward.    Neds, 3", 1/8th oz swimbaits, spybaits, hairjigs, and tubes will all be used on spinning but 4" swimbaits, dropshots, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, swinghead jigs, and bigger swimbaits will all on casting.  

i don't even own a spinnng rod

I have caught all my smallmouth bass on spinning gear and will continue for the next time I fish for smallmouth bass.

On 3/29/2009 at 11:50 AM, fishnjohn said:

I prefer baitcasters over spinning for everything unless it is windy.Then it is a mess to try using light tackle on a baitcaster. I will even dropshot with a baitcaster if there is no wind. I feel like I have more control and there is less line twist using a baitcaster.

I agree and take it one step further. I have no spinning rods.

Certain applications in both the largemouth and smallmouth realm require different tools.  Some finesse styles have been slowly transitioning to a bait caster.  I still prefer to use both.  I generally prefer to use a BC if I'm able to, but I still have a spinning outfit ready when necessary.  Having, using, and being proficient with both will give you more options on the water.

 

I look at like this: a bait casting setup is more of a power tool.  While a spinning setup is more of a manual tool.  You wouldn't use a manual hack saw to cut a lot of wood in a short period of time when a power saw is available, and vice versa.

the only time that my bfs rig won't do what a spinning rod will do, is when it's windy. 

for those days, i have alot of guitars, and a motorcycle.

I didn't read all the replies, so forgive me if I'm doubling up; but to me, the choice to use spinning vs BC is the type of bait you are throwing, not species of fish you're targeting.

I predominantly fish shallow rivers for smallies and I just can't get used to spinning gear. Went and bought a nice one (Expride 7' MF with a Stradic) and just hated using it. Gave it to my wife. Just don't feel like I have enough control over a spinning setup. 

On 1/10/2022 at 11:57 AM, Serpent Mound said:

...... A large 1/2 oz buzzbait cannot be thrown or hookset effectively on a spinning rod, the same is true with half ounce football heads with larger gauge wire hooks.

....

.Casting gear, however, is much better for heavier baits and moving baits.  

Why cant spinning gear be effective for larger lures?

I would agree that baitcasters are more efficient, is that what you mean?

On 4/24/2022 at 9:59 AM, PaulVE64 said:

Why cant spinning gear be effective for larger lures?

 

It all depends on the context, but when I think of larger lures one of the primary factors that I'm taking into account is the hook gauge as well as the weight of the lure. A chatterbait, buzzbait, or flipping jig with an extremely heavy gauge wire hook can be fished with spinning gear. However when compared to the efficacy of baitcasting outfits I can't justify saying that they are effective. 

 

The same way that a smaller car with a hitch can tow a boat or a trailer but cannot truly tow it effectively in the way that a truck can.

 

I hope this answers your question. 

So its the mechanics (pulling like a winch) of the reel, more so than the rod.

Is that it?

2 hours ago, PaulVE64 said:

So its the mechanics (pulling like a winch) of the reel, more so than the rod.

Is that it?

No it’s just what’s available in the market. US market for freshwater spinning reels is geared towards lighter lures. If you look at European market they use spinning reels for giant pike lures (think musky size lures). Is it optimal, meh, but they do it and it’s very common. Saltwater fishing for GT also think big lures and spinning reels. 

20 hours ago, Mat_ski said:

No it’s just what’s available in the market. US market for freshwater spinning reels is geared towards lighter lures. If you look at European market they use spinning reels for giant pike lures (think musky size lures). Is it optimal, meh, but they do it and it’s very common. Saltwater fishing for GT also think big lures and spinning reels. 

The other part of the equation is that they are using rods that are extremely heavy. You can find some muskie setups for spinning that have broomstick rods. Besides that and offshore jigging rods/surf rods, the domestic market in the US is generally medium to medium light with the occasional MH. Because the general US fisherman is not pike fishing primarily

I fish nothing but smallies on lake st Clair and can’t remember the last time I threw anything as small as 1/4 ounce lol.   I have about an equal number of spinning and baitcasting outfits.  My spinning rigs are for 3/8 and 1/2 ounce dropshot, Ned’s, spybaits, and 3/8 ounce head swimbaits.  Baitcasters for 1/2 ounce swimbaits, tubes, cranks, jerks, Bladebaits, spinnerbaits, rattletraps, A rigs, and squarebills.